Team

Better Together

With a talented team of passionate, detail-oriented and dedicated individuals, Bill Hansen strives to exceed expectations for each and every client. The team is renowned for their impeccable service, personalized attention, and tailored approaches, each lending themselves toward impactful events and consistent excellence.

Bill Hansen

CEO

Bill Hansen, a 55-year catering veteran, is widely recognized as a giant in the catering industry. Creative thinking, innovation, and good old-fashioned hard work have made Bill a leader in every facet of the profession. He caters, coordinates, trains, teaches, mentors, motivates, manages, and writes.

Bill began his catering career in the mid-1960s while attending the renowned School of Hotel Management at Cornell University. The young entrepreneur sold sandwiches, snacks, soda, and beer to pay for his tuition and board. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration in 1967. Bill’s military service as an officer included managing high-end Officers’ Clubs and Quarters at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Bill moved to South Florida in 1975 and started his own catering business (Bill’s Catering) in 1980 while he was also managing The Miami Club, Miami’s most prestigious luncheon club. Bill Hansen Catering, a luxury catering company, quickly became the standard by which all upscale South Florida caterers are measured.

Bob Strom
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Bob Strom joined Bill Hansen Catering & Event Production four years ago with over 30 years of food and beverage experience. Bob began his carrier as a Chef and worked his way into executive management in the corporate hotel world.

He currently serves as the COO for the company. He is a highly motivated, results driven professional that believes the key to great customer service is developing passionate and dedicated employees.

Jerry Cortese
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Originally from Chicago, Jerry began his career as a general contractor and architect, but found his true passion in the culinary arts and pursued his education at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. His internship moved him to Florida to attend Disney University and hone his skills at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. After he graduated, he moved to Miami to continue his education in hospitality management at FIU. During his summers, he worked as the executive chef for Snow Inn Resorts in Cape Cod for three seasons.

Jerry joined Bill Hansen Catering with over 21 years of operational and logistical experience in both in-house and off-premise catering. From his 6-year tenure at Burdine’s Department Stores as their in-house corporate executive chef to the Macy ’s leadership team where he oversaw business development, daily operations, and leadership of Macy’s external catering operation. He then became the director of retail operations for Morrison Management at Jackson Memorial Hospital, a $36M operation where he was responsible for all aspects of the food division outlets and patient feeding.

Today, Jerry is the Executive Vice President of Operations, Jerry oversees the planning and facilitation of all company catered events. He is a logistics expert and styles all of our client’s custom events. He and his management teams perform all hiring and training of service and culinary staff, as well as the oversight of all company owned or managed venues, vehicles, equipment, warehouses, and kitchen commissaries. He manages a well-oiled machine of talented individuals that are engaged and laser-focused on customer service at every level. Jerry embraces all of his skills, talents and passions so it is no wonder how he and his teams create the most unique and innovative food stations and events for each of our clients.

Dewey LoSasso
CORPORATE EXECUTIVE CHEF

Dewey LoSasso has clearly become one of the country’s top innovative celebrity chefs, having transformed numerous restaurants in New York City and along the trendy Biscayne Corridor. He has served as Donatella Versace’s personal chef and has delighted patrons of several of Miami’s leading restaurants, including The Forge Restaurant/Wine Bar, Schnebly Winery and Miami Brewing Company, LaTour, Pavillon Grille, The Private Foundlings Club, North One 10 and Tuscan Steak, to name a few.

LoSasso was also the executive chef for the Lipton Tennis Tournament, now the Miami Open. While in New York, he brought the Hudson Hotel back to dining prominence. During his four-year tenure at The Forge, LoSasso led the rebirth of the iconic restaurant, creating modernized interpretations of classic dishes from the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, emphasizing farm-to-table and ocean-to-table ingredients. His “Coffee, Steak and Eggs Dish” was selected by Esquire Magazine as one of the Top Dishes in the country.

Dewey has created dining experiences for the likes of Ron Wood, Bill Clinton, “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson, Gloria Estefan, Joan Jett, Al Pacino among others. He has made appearances on the Food Network’s Chopped, South Florida Today Show, “the Chefs Challenge” TV Segment with CBS (Florida Emmy Award-winning) and various other shows. He now joins the Bill Hansen Catering & Event Production team to guide the culinary department as we grow to new heights.

Mary Rohan
EXECUTIVE CHEF

Mary Rohan was not even 21 years old and cooking on a 50-foot charter sailboat in the Caribbean. Inspired by the tropics and having an abundance of fresh seafood, unique fruits & vegetables at her door step every day, her penchant for infusing Caribbean touches into Pan-Asian dishes developed and would influence her dishes for years to come.

Mary graduated from London’s Le Cordon Bleu where she then honed her craft as an Executive Chef at England’s oldest Inn, The Royalist Inn, at The Cotswolds. After a year of running their fine-dining restaurant, Mary returned to her native Miami in the early 90s and took her talents to several critically acclaimed restaurants in a bustling South Beach. From making a splash at A Fish Called Avalon and later The Century, in 1995 she became the Executive Chef at Indian Creek Hotel’s The Pan Coast. Mary became Chef de Cuisine for South Florida’s acclaimed Chef Cindy Hutson for 8 years between restaurants Norma’s on the Beach, Ortanique on the Mile and Bogwalk in Destin, Florida. After a seven-year tenure at Capri Restaurant, the tropics came calling back but this time in Islamorada at The Postcard Inn.

Having been the subject of countless positive reviews, both local and abroad, her strong rapport in the fine-dining industry, and her continued commitment to excellence, Mary has proven to be invaluable with her managerial and culinary talents. Today she brings her skill and expertise to the Bill Hansen Culinary Team as the Executive Chef.

Ignacio Ferrer
EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

Iggy brought his culinary expertise to the Bill Hansen team just over a year ago as a Sous Chef and quickly became an asset to the company with his exquisite palate and creativity.

His favorite cuisines are Asian and Mediterranean but when he’s not in the kitchen, you’ll find him outdoors due to his love for sports.

Marissa Wong
CULINARY OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

Marissa has been with Bill Hansen since 2016 and is currently the Culinary Office Administrator. Due to her past experiences working in education and for non-profits, she brings a unique perspective to the Bill Hansen team. When not working, she likes to travel, stay active and spend time with loved ones.

Eden Foster
EVENT PRODUCER

Eden Bauer was born and raised in Westchester County, New York. After studies at Syracuse University and The Fashion Institute of Technology, Eden decided to pursue her passion for Hospitality, PR and Marketing under the sunny skies of Miami Beach, Florida.

After planning events at some of the hottest nightclubs in South Beach, such as Billboardlive and Crobar, Eden moved up to the Fort Lauderdale area.

Sandra Perez
EVENT PRODUCER

Sandra was born and raised in Miami where she attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. During her time at FIU, she pursued Event Planning as well as Catering Management, which led her to Bill Hansen in 2012.

When not working, Sandra loves spending time with her husband and daughter and entertaining with family and friends. She is a definite foodie and is always willing to explore new trendy places.

Valentina Pulido
EVENT PRODUCER

Valentina comes to Bill Hansen from Armenia, Colombia via FIU where she studied Hospitality Management. Joining the team in September 2012, she rose to the top of the service team and was promoted to Creative & Branding Director.

With her continuous passion and dedication for the company, today she brings her talents to the sales team as an Event Producer.

Ashley Morales
EVENT PRODUCER

Ashley has been with Bill Hansen since November 2017. With her extensive knowledge of events, she loves turning her client’s vision into reality as an Event Producer for the company. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, perfecting her calligraphy skills and has been learning about photography.

Rachel Rodriguez
EVENT PRODUCER

Rachel is an Event Producer that has been with the company since 2017 with over seven years of experience in the Hospitality and Tourism industry. She loves to travel and spend time with her fiancé and her dog.

Her favorite part about working with the Bill Hansen team is tasting the wide variety of food. Although she has no particular food preference – anything with cheese will make the cut!

Danielle Gonzalez
EVENT COORDINATOR

Danielle has been with Bill Hansen for almost a year but has worked some events in the past with Sandra as her Assistant Event Coordinator. Now that she is with Bill Hansen full time, she’s an Event Coordinator.

In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her 18-month-old son. She also enjoys anything food related, experimenting with new recipes is her favorite!

Yuli Sosa
EVENT COORDINATOR

After working at FIU for over two years, Yuli joined the Bill Hansen team in May of 2018 as an Event Coordinator. She works alongside clients and her event producers in order to optimize their service and provide memorable experiences the team is known for.

She loves all Italian food – particularly pasta – so being surrounded by exquisite cuisine is a big plus for her.

Genevieve Hernandez
EVENT COORDINATOR

Gen joined the Bill Hansen team in September of 2018 as an event coordinator and finds so much joy in helping events and weddings go from ordinary to extraordinary.

Along with planning and organizing, she loves volunteering and giving back to her community as well as spending time with friends and family. While people are her passion, her obsessions include coffee, popcorn and wine.

Shayla White
SALES ADMINISTRATOR ASSISTANT

Shayla first began as a Banquet Server and has since joined the sales team as the Sales Administrative Assistant in October of 2018. Shayla’s responsibilities include being the first point of contact. She initiates the call and record’s the client’s needs to determine the best Event Producer for them.

She’s currently finishing her Master’s degree in Hospitality Management at Florida International University and will graduate in the summer of 2019. Shayla is a foodie, loves music, and enjoys travelling with friends and family.

Danny Nieves
EVENT MANAGER

Danny is one of Bill Hansen’s Event Managers and has been helping the team execute stunning events for approximately 7 years now.

When he’s not entertaining our guests, Danny enjoys mountain biking and traveling to foreign destinations to explore new foods and new cultures.

Paula Garcia
EVENT MANAGER

Paula first began working as a server for the Bill Hansen team in 2011 and was soon promoted to Operations Coordinator. Today, she manages events and helps oversee and run the operations department.

She enjoys reading, watching movies and shows, and traveling with family and friends. She also enjoys learning about sustainability and supporting local artists and farmers. Paula has a twin sister, Carla, who also works for the company!

Anthony Segovia
EVENT MANAGER

Anthony joined the team as a server in 2012 after taking Bill Hansen’s Catering Management Course at FIU. After two years of hard work, Anthony was promoted to an Event Manager.

He has had the privilege of managing large-scale events but also is appreciative of learning from some of the best experience in the industry. In his spare time, Anthony enjoys playing basketball and video games with his two boys!

Lissette Hereu
EVENT MANAGER

At the age of nineteen, Lissette laid the foundation for her career when she began as a server. Over the course of 12 years, two promotions, and much hard work and dedication, she has dominated every challenge ever thrown her way.

She now currently has over 10 years of experience in Hospitality and Event Management. Her free time is spent with her son and her family. She enjoys barbecuing at home and taking family trips to the beach.

Isabelle Blouin
EVENT MANAGER

Isabelle has been part of the Operation’s Team for over 10 years and has helped delight some of our most prestigious clients as an Event Manager.

Outside of the office, Isabelle enjoys the outdoors and is always in search of her next hiking trail.

Carla Garcia
HUMAN RESOURCES / OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Carla has been in the company for two years, with her first year as HR Coordinator. She is in charge of payroll, PTO, all things administration, making sure our staff’s needs are heard, setting up trainings, and she also helps the Ops team whenever she can, from designing culinary labels to making event folders.

She loves all things green, beauty-related and all things sustainable. She was a PhD researcher in material science, so she has a passion for research. She loves creating things out of wood and has even made a wedding arbor for a friend, a wedding directional sign (it’s on Samsara’s Instagram!), desks, and her own bed. She has an identical twin sister and yes, being a twin is the best!

Kraig Chang
WAREHOUSE MANAGER

Kraig is the Warehouse Manager for Bill Hansen. For over 8 years, he has watched the company grow into the family it is today. In his spare time, he enjoys road cycling, yoga, and being one with nature.

Michael Zayas-Bazan
ASSISTANT WAREHOUSE MANAGER

Joining the Bill Hansen team over three years ago, Mike maintains warehouse functionality by assisting in the smooth and efficient running of day-to-day operations. In his free time, he enjoys playing softball, eating steak, and loves listening to hip-hop.

Paul Gomez
TRANSPORTATION SUPERVISOR

Paul has been with the Bill Hansen team for over five years. He oversees all drivers, trucks and keeps truck procedures up to date as well as controls BOH at events. When he’s not working, he spends his time with his beloved son.

He loves to play pool, enjoys pasta, and would most likely be voted as “Class Comedian” as he loves making everyone laugh at work.

Bill Hansen exceeded our expectations. We felt they were very professional and attentive. Our food tasting was amazing as they greeted us with champagne and made it very personal. Ashley was our event producer and she was extremely helpful and transparent which was much appreciated, especially when your taste in weddings exceeds your budget.